Karen Gath
Karen Gath has been working in theatre for 30 years. A jack of all trades in the theatre community Karen has acted, costumed, choreographed, sound designed, stage managed, taught and directed. For the past 15 years, directing and acting coaching have been her passion. People of all ages have benefitted from Karen’s love and knowledge of her craft. Having worked with children as young as 4, Karen was able to utilize her skills to teach the basics of acting, movement, imagination and improv to help the very young to be comfortable with themselves, on stage and among people of different ages and abilities. Older children and teens profit from learning the different techniques and styles taught to actors throughout ever-changing acting methods and schools of thought. Karen has had success working with adults, both young and senior, by instilling the skills and confidence to perform at their varied age levels. Let Karen help you find your inner actor, or hone the skills you already possess.
Rachel Delmar
Rachel grew up working on and off the stage at the Bellevue Youth Theatre where she has recently returned to work as a Resident Director. She received a BA in Theatre from the University of Southern California. While there she served as Artistic Director of the Writing Our Dream Organization, as well as working as a director for the Brand New Theatre which developed and produced all new student work. She was a directing intern at the Guthrie on the production of Caroline or Change during the Tony Kushner Celebration. She also acted with several other companies while living in Minneapolis. She attended the National Theatre Institute at the O’Neill Theatre Center [Summer 2009] as a director for the Theatremaker program. Returning to Los Angeles she worked with several LA Theatre companies including Playwright’s Arena, LA Theatre Center, Antaeus Theatre, The Virginia Avenue Project, The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, etc. Her last show in LA was as the Assistant Director to James Roday for the Red Dog Squadron’s [RDS] production of GREEDY. Her current work with BYT includes adapting & directing productions as well as teaching workshops & mentoring young aspiring directors. She also teaches in Seattle with Stone Soup Theatre Company. Rachel considers the arts education she received as a child irreplaceable and continues to make it a personal commitment to provide similar opportunities to youth today.
"Karen [Gath] is one of the most intuitive, compassionate, visionary and grace under fire youth theatre directors I have had the pleasure to work with. I have watched her nurture the talents and nourish the potential of many a young actor and actress over the years, my own children included, at both Bellevue Youth Theatre and at the International School (IS) this past year, and can attest that her coaching approach is a magical, mystical "blood from stone" process. Testament to her intuitive abilities is her knack for finding that unique inner essence and gift within each of her cast members and empowering them to channel the best of themselves into their role.
Most recently, she helped mentor my teenage son in his first musical theatre role as General Genghis Khan Schmitz in Seussical the Musical as well as for his first dramatic lead as John Proctor in The Crucible. Without her patient guidance, and above-and-beyond dedication to ensuring he not only understood his characters but embodied them fully, I am not certain he could have pulled off either role with the voice and moreover, confidence and conviction with which he did. She has been a truly amazing acting coach and mentor in every sense of the word and no question, has already made an indelible mark on his life."
-Danna Schmidt
"Karen is very energetic and tireless, and always seems to be so on top of things from a stage direction standpoint, even during those times in the production when things are still kind of messy and not quite glued together ~ I admire that about her. And I really love that she gives her actors the freedom to make the character their own.
I owe Karen a debt of thanks and gratitude for her patience and understanding as I struggled to learn my lines and fill the big acting shoes of John Proctor in The Crucible this past spring. She fed me lines even during those final weeks when it was shameless for me to dare ask, and she provided me with loads of character analysis, script interpretation and improv tools. But most importantly, she helped me come to understand the kind of tortured soul my character must have been and showed me how to go about bringing my own inner John Proctor to light. I bow to her. She's everything a great director and acting coach should be and more!"
-Logan Schmidt
"I've worked with Karen in productions and one-on-one with a music theater singer. She is a TERRIFIC teacher. She guides actors with an open mind and heart, leads with grace and strength, and helps them achieve results that come from their hearts and minds working in tandem. As a mentor she is the best. As a performer and example of success she is outstanding!"
-Nancy Bos
Voice Instructor
Studio Bos
www.studiobos.com
www.singing101.net